…As Ezeugo warns Rohr over tactical formation
Former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu, has praised manager Gernot Rohr over the 30-man provisional World Cup roster released recently and has tipped the team to go far at the tournament in Russia.
Soccer pundits have predicted that Argentina and Croatia are the two teams that will qualify for the last sixteen in Group D but the former Arsenal striker has opined that the Super Eagles will defy the odds because they have quality players in their ranks.
‘’Yes, I believe we are going to do very well at the World Cup because we have the right calibre of players for the tournament,’’ Kanu said.
‘’The list is a good one and I’m sure the players are ready to fight and defend the country.
‘’We have good players and a lot of them are in form and the spirit is good and the coaching crew and other staff members are working together, so we are well on track.’’
However, another ex- international, Emeka Ezeugo, has warned coach Gernot Rohr not to consider playing a three-man midfield at the World Cup because the Super Eagles lack quality in that department.
Rohr opted for a three-man midfield for most of the games during the World Cup qualifiers, with Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi and Trabzonspor’s Eddy Onazi playing centrally and captain John Obi Mikel slightly further up in the pitch.
The thinking behind Ezeugo’s statement is that Argentina and Croatia midfielders are better and Rohr has to deploy one or two extra players to neutralise the opponents.
‘’It will be a calamity, definitely, to play with three players in the midfield. I am sure he’s not going to try that,’’ said Ezeugo.
‘’We are not really good as a team in the midfield; we are not considered one of the best in the midfield, so why is he going to take a chance to play three when you can play four or five.’’
John Ogu, Mikel Agu, Uche Agbo, Oghenekaro Etebo and Joel Obi are the other players classed as midfielders in the Super Eagles 30-man provisional squad list for the Mundial.
